Executive director Sean Baker says the kittens were brought in at about 5 p.m. and by 7 p.m. they had volunteers out looking for them. The volunteers returned Friday morning but the kittens have still not been found.

Of the remaining seven brought in, six are doing well, but one died on Saturday.

“It was unconscious when it came to us,” says Baker, “and it never regained any real life.”

Staff at the shelter do not know how long the kittens were in the box, but they were very thirsty and dehydrated when they came to LAPS.

Baker says they think the kittens came from two different litters, with three being about six weeks old and the other three being about four weeks old.

“That’s estimated based on size,” he adds.

“All are weaned and able to eat on their own. They’re social, they’re friendly, they were someone’s,” says Baker.

He thinks the person who put them in the box probably had two female cats and did not know what to do with the kittens. But putting them in a box should never be an option.

“It’s so unnecessary,” says Baker. “We don’t have limitless resources but we will do what we can.”

“We’ll help.”

The youngest three kittens will be sent to a foster home until they can be spayed or neutered when they are about eight or 10 weeks old. They will then be adopted. The older three will stay at the shelter, undergo their operations and then be adopted out.